Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint

ABSTRACT

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is designed to support and protect the baseball user&#39;s thumb, reducing pain from the shock of impact and flexion of the thumb and thumb joints on the palm side of the thumb while receiving the baseball. It is a slim compact splint that is designed to be inserted into the thumb slot of any baseball glove and attached by interlacing the splint from the two bottom holes of the splint onto the existing lacing of any glove below the hand slot of the glove where the front face meets the back face of the glove and are interwoven together in such a manner that the splint cannot become loose and or lost during play. It also extends the thumbs leveraging ability increasing power to the user&#39;s thumb enhancing closure and capture of the baseball. It&#39;s slim design allows for less interference and more space in the hand opening of the glove for ease, comfort and efficiency during play.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Baseball Glove thumb Guard Splint is a baseball protective and support splint that is used inside the thumb slot of any baseball glove. Its design is simplistic and compact so as not to take up too much room in the user's baseball glove. It protects, reducing shock, pain and injury to the users thumb from the forceful impact of receiving the baseball. It also reduces and prevents flexion of the users thumb joints from extension and flexion upon impact from catching the baseball, preventing pain and injury to the users thumb and thumb joints. The Baseball splint also assists the user in leveraging and enhancing a more efficient closure of the baseball glove upon receiving the ball making for a more secure caption of the ball. It extends the thumb for more power to close and secure the ball in longer gloves such as catchers, outfielder's gloves and first baseman's gloves.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Baseball Glove thumb Guard Splint is an endoskeleton splint device that can be inserted and attached to the inner thumb slot of any baseball glove through the thumb strap of the glove. The splint has two slot holes at the bottom of the splint (See FIG. 2) that can be 3/32 to ⅛ of an inch in diameter wide for leather lacing to run through them (See FIG. 4) interlacing them with the lacing at the bottom of the glove where the front and back faces of the glove meet at the bottom just below the hand opening. (See FIG. 1).

The top part of the splint is secured by the thumb strap in the glove's thumb slot and by the two holes at the bottom of the splint interwoven with the lacing at the bottom of the glove. It is designed to remain in the glove for an indefinite period so as not to be constantly and inconveniently inserted and removed during play. It's design is meant for ease of use, making play less cumbersome and to reduce shock upon impact reducing pain, flexion and injury to the users thumb.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Is the top view of the splint showing a baseball glove with the splint attached laced to it. The figured hand lies on top of the splint. The splint lies between the hand and glove.

FIG. 2. Shows the top side of the splint and it's approximate size of the splint showing the front or top view of the splint. It shows the two bottom slot holes for attachment and lacing to the glove. The top part of the figure shows the curvature at the upper end of the splint where the thumb rests and ergonomically contours to cradle the thumb partially shrouding and wrapping the palm side of the thumb. Leaving the topside of the thumb uncovered as it is not susceptible to any impact of the ball.

FIG. 3. Shows an angled side view of the splint in an expanded view of the splint before it is assembled showing the foam padding at the top that can be an ⅛ to a ¼ of an inch thick and also shows the leather lacing used to attach the splint to the glove. The bottom or palm end of the splint shows the 10 to 15 degree curvature of the palm end of the splint that ergonomically accommodates where the palm rests. It also shows the curvature on the upper portion of the splint that accommodates where the thumb would sit and nestle.

FIG. 4. Is a rear angled view of the splint showing it splint fused and assembled together with lacing running through the palm side holes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is an endoskeleton splint device that can be inserted and attached to the inner thumb slot of any baseball glove through the thumb strap of the glove. It can be attached as an aftermarket product or during mass production of the baseball gloves.

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is a flat and contoured bar of metal or composite material that can be cut or molded and manufactured of aluminum alloy, steel, titanium, fiberglass, carbonite, Kevlar, carbon fiber or any other metal or hard plastic or hard carbon composite materials. It can also be molded into form from any metal, plastic, or hard composite materials.

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint can be produced of 1/16 to a ⅛ inch in thickness and 4⅝ inches to 4% of an inch in length and 1¼ to 1⅜ inches wide (see FIG. #2).

The left side of the splint (opposite for a right hand glove, lefty glove) has an ergonomic curvature towards the bottom of the splint to accommodate the palm of the hand for comfort and fit. It curves outward from the bottom into a 15 to 20 degree angle bending slight right (left for lefty gloves) towards the top of the hand opening extending towards the thumb strap.

The bottom of the splint fits parallel to the bottom of the glove where the front face of the glove meets the back face of the glove and are interwoven together (see FIG. #1).

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint has two slot holes at the bottom of the splint that can be 3/32 to ⅛ of an inch in diameter wide for leather lacing to run through them interlacing them with the lacing at the bottom of the glove where the two faces of the glove meet at the bottom just below the hand opening (see FIG. 1).

The top part of the splint is secured by the thumb strap in the glove's thumb slot and by the two holes at the bottom interwoven with the lacing at the bottom of the glove. The top side or face of the splint is lined with a ⅛ to ¼ of an inch with a spongy material such as high density foam, visco elastic foam or any other foam for cushioning to help absorb the shock of impact while receiving the ball. The splint is then encased and or coated in latex, rubber or it can be wrapped in leather or any spongy cushiony manmade material for added comfort, increased grip and to aid shock absorption.

A Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint device that can be inserted and attached to the inner thumb slot of any baseball glove through the thumb strap of the glove. It can be attached to the glove as an aftermarket product or during mass production of the baseball glove onto the existing lacing at the bottom of the hand opening where the front face of the glove is interwoven to the back face of the glove.

The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is an ergonomically contoured splint that can be cut, bent, contoured, formed, and or molded and manufactured of aluminum alloy, steel, titanium, fiberglass, carbonite, Kevlar, carbon fiber or any other metal or hard plastic or hard carbon composite materials. The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint can be produced of 1/16 to an ⅛ inch in thickness and 4⅝ inches to 4¾ of an inch in length and 1¼ to 1⅜ inches wide. The left side of the splint (opposite for a right hand glove, lefty glove) has an ergonomic curvature towards the bottom of the splint to accommodate the palm of the hand for comfort and fit. It is also contoured at the top side of the splint where the thumb rests halfway wrapping or hugging the thumb in place. The palm end curves outward from the bottom into a 15 or 20 degree angle bending slight right (left for lefty gloves) towards the top of the hand. The bottom palm end of the splint is slightly bent downward into a 10 to 15 degree angle and rests parallel to the bottom of the glove where the front face of the glove meets the back face of the glove where the two faces of the glove are interwoven together wherein the splint is attached and laced onto the existing lacing of the glove through the two bottom holes of the splint. 

1. The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint has two slot holes at the bottom of the splint that can be 3/32 to ⅛ of an inch in diameter wide for leather lacing to run through them interlacing them with the lacing at the bottom of glove below the hand opening where the two faces of the glove are adjoined. The top part of the Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is secured by the thumb strap in the glove's thumb slot and the palm end of the splint is laced on to the glove by the two holes at the bottom of the splint, interwoven with the lacing at the bottom of the glove. The top side or face of the splint is lined with a ⅛ to ¼ of an inch with a spongy material such as a high density foam, visco elastic foam or any other foam for cushioning to help absorb the shock of impact while receiving the ball. For added shock dispersion, the splint can also be lined on the underside or bottom side of the splint. The splint is then encased and or coated in latex, rubber or it can be wrapped in leather or any spongy, rubbery or cushiony manmade material for added comfort, increased grip and to aid shock absorption and dispersion.
 2. The Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint is a slim compact design that is intended to be imbedded in the baseball glove's thumb slot so that there is no need to insert it and remove it during play. It is a secured indefinite attachment that prevents it from being lost or misplaced during play. The splint is not tied to or worn on the hand by the user like other thumb guards on the market. It's slim design allows for less interference in the hand opening of the glove for efficiency during play. It also aides in improving closure of the glove during play by extending the thumbs leveraging ability in the glove's thumb slot.
 3. A Baseball Glove Thumb Guard Splint comprising of a metal or composite splint, padding and leather lacing. 